%faf0e6
^000088Kafra Legend at the End of Century^000000

This is a legend passed down among employees of the Kafra Corporation since ancient times.

The mountain village of Payon had been devastated by aggressive monsters raids
since the magic shield that protected it was broken after the Kafra Corporation withdrew
their services there. Most of the houses, paddy fields and dry fields were ruined, and
only a few old people that were too feeble to evacuate remained. They lost the will to
live, and simply sat solemnly on the ground, waiting for death with glazed, 
half open eyes.

An old women is rustled from her sleep by the sound of approaching footsteps.
She rubs her eyes, unable to believe the first sign of life that she's seen in months,
a large man shrouded in a black robe. The hem of a white apron
beneath his dark garments catches her attention.

"I thought... I thought all the Kafra ladies already evacuated. 
Are... Are you really here to save us?"
Wordlessly, the black robed man nodded to the old woman, who smiled to herself as she
slowly shuts her eyes to dream of a better future. The black robed man watched her dream
for but a moment, and then strided purposefully towards the tavern.

The drunken tavern master was leaning in the corner when the creaking sound of the opening
door snaps him to attention. He weakly mumbles,

"I've got nothing to offer you, unless you came for a glass of water."

The black robed man doesn't answer at first, and calmly takes his seat at the bar. 
His voice, almost accusing, is like gravel to the tavern master's ears.

"Aren't you the owner of this place?"

The tavern master closed his eyes in resignation, and gestures toward the liquor shelf.
He's entirely drained, and doesn't have the will to resist anymore.

"If you want alcohol, that's all that's left. Whatever. Just take it."

he black robed man reaches for the bottle containing the most liquor, sits in front of 
the most liquor, sits in front of the drowsy tavern master, and quickly gulps down
down the bottle's contents. The tavern master's ears perk as he hears the black robed man
sigh in relief.

"What in the hell are you doing in this godforsaken place?"
"Don't you know what happened? I guess you don't know what's going on in the world."

The tavern master glanced curiously at the black robed man, and gently straightened up.

"I guess you must have some story to tell, seeing as you're covering your face with that
hood. You know, it's not a good idea to drink so much alcohol on an empty stomach. 
Why don't I fix up some slices of cheese or something for you?"
"That'd be great, thanks."

The pantry door swings, and tavern master hands the black robed man a plate of sliced
cheese. He notices that the black robed man's hands are calloused and rough as he fingers 
the slices.

"Ever since all the Kafra Employees left, the magic shield that protected us from
the monsters was destroyed. There are monster raids every night now. We lost another 
old lady last night. You really... You really shouldn't stick around here too long."
"Are you saying there's no Kafra Employee in this village?"
"That's not all. It seems like the Kafra Employees left every town. Prontera, Morroc,
Geffen, Alberta, hell, even Al De Baran. I mean, we still have that infernal Kafra 
GT machine, but it's worse than useless. It's more interested in muscling us for taxes, 
protection money I call it, than in protecting us from monsters. That robot is even worse 
han those monsters, I think." 

The black robed man was didn't speak for a moment, thinking about the tavern master's 
words.

"I suppose... I suppose that if the Kafra Employees returned, then it wouldn't make much
of a difference. Would it?"
"Have you seen the old people watching the village entrance? It's sad, but they really
believe that the Kafra Employees will come to save them. That's the only hope that's
keeping them alive. So yeah, I don't think the Kafra Employees can really change anything.
All we have here are old people! But soon, that robot's gonna kill me too!"

The tavern master's face was flush with rage and desperation, and he had to catch his
breath before he could continue.

"Tell me: what's going to change if the Kafra Ladies return?! I don't know who's more that
have faith in them?!"

The black robed man didn't respond, and had another sip of alcohol as the tavern master
lowered his head in defeat.
Then, a digitized, commanding voice broke the tavern's silence.

"Beep! Karl Vasten, 76 year old male. He is to be taken into custody for failure to payhis taxes." 
The tavern master's face grimaced when he recognized that Kafra GT unit.

"How the hell is he supposed to pay taxes when we don't even make money!
breath before he could continue. The monsters killed all our customers! How the hell are
we supposed to do our jobs when you can't even do yours, huh?"

The black robed man refilled his glass with alcohol and asked,

"What happens if you don't pay your taxes?"
"Y-you don't know? You get arrested, and then you end up doing slave labor,
or they take away your home."

The Kafra GT issued out its warning again.
"If Karl Vasten refuses to comply, I will use force. Where is he?"
"We don't have the money! Take it, this is all I have!"
The tavern master gripped a few zeny coins in his hand, and then flung them
at the machine.
"Attacking a Kafra GT is considered an attack against a government official and a serious 
crime."

The tavern master slammed a glass on the table when the machine finished its warning, and
screamed,

"Enough is enough! I've had it with you, you crazy machine!"

The tavern master grabbed a shotgun hanging on the wall, and rushed outside the tavern. 
The black robed man remained unbothered by the commotion, and continue to enjoy his drink. 
The tavern master loaded bullets into the shotgun, and aimed at the Kafra GT.

"How can you call yourself a government official?! Did they ask you to go and harass
innocent people?"

"Beep. Charles Raven, 38 year old male. Identity confirmed. Assessing threat... 
27 mm shotgun. 0.001% chance of damaging armor. Charles Raven--drop your weapon. 
Do not resist your government."
"Goddamned machine! Go to hell!"

The tavern master fired his shotgun, but the buckshot ricocheted harmlessly off 
the Kafra GT's heavy armor. The robot's eyes gleamed red in response.

"Attack mode initiated."

The Kafra GT's arm turned into a giant Gatling Gun that started to indiscriminately spray 
bullets at the tavern. The tavern master scrambled and lept to dodge the bullets as he 
continued firing his shotgun at the Kafra GT unit.

"Encountering high level of resistance. Requesting authorization to burn down Payon."
"What the hell?! Over my dead body! I won't let you destroy my village!"

The Kafra GT unit didn't bother to give the tavern master an answer, and produced 
a flame thrower from beneath its Gatling Gun.

"Stop, you crazy machine! There are old people inside those homes!"
"Authorization... Granted. First target: Karl Vasten's residence."
"No! Please! Stop it!"
"Freeze, Charles Raven. Any further action will be considered obstruction of justice, 
and appropriate action will be taken."
"How can this be appropriate action!"

The tavern master ran towards the house in hopes of saving the elderly Karl Vaster, 
who was inside. However, he wasn't fast enough: a plume of flame lighted upon the roof, 
and the house was incinerated within seconds.

"Oh Lord! I don't believe this! This is... This is insane!"
"Now, Charles Raven. You will turn yourself in, or I will use lethal force."

The tavern master could only look at the ground, drained of emotion. He didn't even have 
the strength to cry. He felt his knees buckle to the ground as he accepted death. 
But then, from the corner of his eye, the fluttering of a black robe.

"Don't worry. The old man is safe."

The black robed man gingerly placed Karl Vaster on the ground, and faced the Kafra GT Unit.

"Beep. Unidentifiable target. No record in database. 
Height: approximately 210 centimeters. Weight: approximately 109 kilograms."
"You. Get the old man out of here."
"Identify yourself with your name, age, and occupation. If you refuse, you will be 
considered an enemy of the state, and I will be authorized to use lethal force."
"Alright. Fine. First of all, I'm twenty-four years old."
"Beep. Information accepted."
"And my name..."

The black robed man drew back his hood, and then threw off his robes. She was a woman!

"My name is Blossom! Occupation: Kafra Employee!"

By this time, the burning house attracted a crowd of villagers that were now 
cheering their savior.

"Kafra? Did she say she was a...?"
"They're back! They'll... They'll save every one of us!"

The Kafra GT continued its analyzation of its target undeterred.
"Assessing... Risk Level 10. Requesting... Back-u--"

With a flash of lightning, Kafra Blossom punched the Kafra GT unit's head with 
her mighty fist with an uppercut that sent the metallic giant soaring through the air. 
It crashed to the ground, its circuits exposed and crackling.

"Cannot calcul-- Power-- Request immediate backup!"

The Kafra Employee looked down upon her fallen quarry and spat on the ground in mild disgust.
"How dare you bastards sully Kafra's good name. We're about service... Not domination."

There was a furious flurry of kicks, faster than the eye could perceive, and then 
the Kafra GT exploded in a glorious blaze of blinding light. Silence returned, and bits of 
burnt, crisp metal were all that was left of it.

"We're coming. The Kafra Service... We're here to help."

Blossom turned towards the tavern master.

"Which way's Al De Baran?"

The tavern master couldn't voice the words. For too long he had lived in fear. Finally, 
hope had returned. He could live life again, and he would be eternally 
grateful to the beautiful, yet deadly, woman that stood before him. Wiping the tears 
from his eyes, he quaveringly pointed to the northeast.

"Sisters. I'll see you soon."

- To be continued
